Service tray



F. A WENZEL Dec. 15, 1964 SERVICE TRAY Filed April 1, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet 1 F. A. WENZEL SERVICE TRAY Dec. 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed April 1, 1964 3,161,342 SERVICE TRAY Frederick A. Wenze],Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to St. Regis Paper Company, New York, N.Y., acorporation of New York Filed Apr. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 356,374 3 Claims.(Cl. 229--28) This invention relates to improvements in service trays oftypes adapted to be used for carrying food and beverages.

Such trays are often used in dispensing food and beverages fromestablishments such as roadside stands, and it is highly important thatsame be quite inexpensive because of competitive conditions and inasmuchas such trays are generally discarded after a single instance of use.Furthermore, it is important that they be capable of being sold inquantities in collapsed condition and to have constructions such as awaitress can very quickly grasp one of the collapsed trays andimmediately set it up into condition for use.

More particularly, the invention concerns an alternative for the generaltypes of service trays such, for example, as disclosed in my US. PatentNo. 3,001,684. In that patent, a collapsible tray of economicalconstruction is disclosed and in which the two end portions thereof whenthe tray is set up, each have receptacles for receiving cups or beveragecontainers, whereas centrally of the construction a generallyrectangular cavity is provided for receiving items such as sandwiches orother food items. In many cases, however, it has been found that thecustomers using such trays will on occasions desire either a tray, forexample, which will hold four beverage cups without food items, or inmany cases alternatively they may want to be served with only a pair ofbeverage cups instead of four, but at the same time may want to beserved a sandwich or other food item.

The present invention provides a simple, economical and reliable form oftray construction which may be shipped in collapsed condition, and whichmay be readily set up for use in such situations where the customer maywant to be served with only one or two beverage cups, together with asandwich or the like, or where alternatively, in lieu of provision forholding a sandwich, it is desired to have provision for holding morethan two beverage cups, for example four cups. Thus with the trayaccording to the present invention, after it has been set up, thewaitress may either use it for receiving, for example, four beveragecups, or, by a quick motion of her fingers, she may collapse certainportions thereof along perforated lines, rendering two of the beveragecup apertures or compartments readily adapted to be joined to form asingle and generally rectangular compartment for a sandwich or otherfood item, without materially interfering with the strength of the trayor with two other compartments adapted for receiving beverage cups.

Various further and more specific objects, features and advantages ofthe invention will appear from the descrip tion given below, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way ofexample a pre ferred form of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray embodying the invention in itspreferred form after same has been set up for use in a condition adaptedto receive four beverage cups;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing how portions may be collapsed totransform two of the beverage cup cavities into a single cavity forholding food;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

United States Patent 3,i5l,342 Patented Dec. 15, 1964- FIG. 4 is a planview of a die-cut blank for forming the tray as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in further detail, as shown in FIGS. 1 and2, the tray 10 as set up ready for use, has a top surface area 11connected along fold or score lines .to side walls 12 and 13respectively, the latter at their bottom edges being connected by foldor score lines to bottom wall portions 14 and 15.

Bottom wall portion 14, along the mid-portion of the tray, may be formedintegrally and connected by a fold or score line to upstanding centralpartition ortions 16 and 17. An edge of the bottom wall portion 15 mayoverlap and be adhered as at 18 to the underside of the other bottomwall portion 14. The upper edges of partition portions 16 and 17respectivelymay be integrally formed and connected by score lines toelongated tab portions 19 and 2i) respectively adhered or otherwisesecured to the underside of the top surface 11.

The top surface in the particular form shown is provided with fourapertures as at 21, 22, 23 and 24, for receiving beverage containers orcups, one of which is indicated by dotted lines at 25 These apertures,which may largely be generally circular in form, may in accordance withknown practice he formed at their peripheries with inwardly protrudingtabs, as at 26, to aid in frictionally securing the cups in place.

As further shown in FIG. 1, the apertures 23 and 24 at their oppositesides are joined by lines of perforation or weakening as at 2'7 and 28in the top surface 11, so that the areas 39 of the top surface betweenthese two apertures may readily be severed from the top surface uponpressing same with the fingers generally downwardly, or downwardly andangularly somewhat forwardly, as viewed in FIG. 2, thereby opening thespace between apertures 23 and 24 to form one larger and generallyrectangular aperture (or rectangular with somewhat arcuate end portions)and providing a suitable aperture for receiving sandwiches or other fooditems in lieu of beverage cups.

From FIG. 2 it will be noted that, as area 30 is pushed down, thevertical partition portion 17 will be collapsed therewith against thebottom of the tray and oifer no further obstacle to placing objects offood in the enlarged opening. To this end, the vertical partition 17 maybe slit along a vertical line 31 to separate same from a small partitionportion 17a, which remains in vertical position as a supporting post forthe top edge of the tray after the partition portion 17 has beencollapsed. I

From FIG. 1 it will be noted that the area 3i) may include not only theportions of the tray surface located between apertures 23 and 24, butalso portions as at 30a and 30b, which form parts of the peripheries atthe sides of the apertures, whereby the perforated line of severance 27may be so located as to be in alignment with the end edges of thenotches 32, 33, at the peripheries of the apertures. Thus when the area30a is severed, it will leave a space with a straight line boundaryextending from notch 32 to notch 33, rendering the large aperture nowformed free of obstructions against receiving items such as sandwiches.

Various forms of simple locking means may be used for retaining the trayin erected condition. ample shown, and as best shown by FIGS. 3 and 4,the vertical partition 16 at its inner end may be undercut along anincline as at 35, and joined portions of the bottom wall as at 36a, 36bmay be folded up, these having a central slit 37 into which theoverhanging depending portion 35 of the partion may be engaged securelyto lock the partition portion in vertical position. It will be notedthat this form of means for holding the tray in erected condition willbe effectively operative regard- In the ex-,

less of whether the severable area 30 has been depressed. The die-cutblank, made for, example of semi-rigid paperboard, for forming the tray,is shown in FIG. 4, and the construction and operation of its severalparts and features, will be readily apparent from the above descriptionof the set-up tray. a

Although a certain particular embodiment of the invention is hereindisclosed for purposes of explanation, further modifications thereof,after study" of this specification, will be apparent to those skilled inthe art to which the invention pertains. Reference should accordingly behad to the appended claims in determining the scope of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: a

1. A collapsible service tray comprised of an area of sheet materialshaped to provide a toprsurface, side walls and bottom wall portionsconnected thereto along score lines,whereby the tray maybe collapsed tosubstantially fiattenedtcondition or erected to operative condition withthe top surface spaced from the bottom wall portions, said top surfacehaving atone end thereof at least one opening for receiving a beveragecontainer and having at the other end thereof at least a pair ofopenings normally adapted to receive beverage containers respectively,

between said pair of openings being relatively severable at eachendthereof along weakened lines of perforations. or the like from theremainder of the top surface, said severable portion being attached to avertical partition portion along a score line, which partition is alsoattached to the bottom wall along a score line, whereby top surface and,together with its said vertical partition,

said pair of openings will become joined to form a single larger openingadapted to receive a sandwich or other I v, V 4 3 sheet material shapedto provide a top surface, side walls and bottom wall portions connectedthereto along score lines, whereby the tray may be collapsed tosubstantially flattened condition or erected to operative condition withthe top surface spaced from the bottom wall portions, said top surfacehaving at least a pair of openings normally adapted to receive beveragecontainers respectively,

, a portion of the sheet material of said top surface located .a portionof the sheet material of said top surface located a between said pair ofopenings being relatively severable at each end thereof alongweakened'lines'of perforations or the like from the remainder of the topsurface, said severable portion being attached to a vertical partitionportion along a score line, which partition is also attached to thebottom wall along a score line, whereby upon applying generally downwardpressure against said severable portion, same will become severed from.the top surface and, togetherwith its said vertical partition, becomeswung down and collapsed toward the bottom in the tray, whereby saidpair of openings will become joined to form a'single larger openingadapted toreceive a sandwich or other food items. v

3. A- collapsible servicetray comprised of an area of sheet materialshaped to provide a top'surface, side Walls and bottom wall portionsconnected thereto along score lines, whereby the tray may be collapsedto substantially flattened condition or erected tooperative conditionwith the top surfacespaced from the'bottom wall portions,

said top surfacejhaving at least a pair. of generally cir- "cularopenings normally adapted to receive" beverage conupon applyingangularly downward pressure against said severable portion, same willbecome severed from the become collapsed toward the bottom in the tray,whereby tainers respectively, a portion of the sheet material of saidtop surface locatedbetween said pair of openings and includingsubstantial portions of the circumference of each opening, beingrelatively severable along widely spacedap'art'weakened lines ofperforations or the like from the remainder of the top surface,saidseverableportion being attached to a collapsible vertical partition,whereby upon applying generally downward pressure against said severableportion, same will become severed from the top surface and, togetherwith its said vertical partition, become collapsed toward the bottominthe tray, whereby saidpair of openings "will become 'joined toform asingle larger opening adapted to .receive a sandwich or other fooditems.

' No' references cited. GEORGE o. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

1. A COLLAPSIBLE SERVICE TRAY COMPRISED OF AN AREA OF SHEET MATERIALSHAPED TO PROVIDE A TOP SURFACE, SIDE WALLS AND BOTTOM WALL PORTIONSCONNECTED THERETO ALONG SCORE LINES, WHEREBY THE TRAY MAY BE COLLAPSEDTO SUBSTANTIALLY FLATTENED CONDITION OR ERECTED TO OPERATIVE CONDITIONWITH THE TOP SURFACE SPACED FROM THE BOTTOM WALL PORTIONS, SAID TOPSURFACE HAVING AT ONE END THEREOF AT LEAST ONE OPENING FOR RECEIVING ABEVERAGE CONTAINER AND HAVING AT THE OTHER END THEREOF AT LEAST A PAIROF OPENINGS NORMALLY ADAPTED TO RECEIVE BEVERAGE CONTAINERSRESPECTIVELY, A PORTION OF THE SHEET MATERIAL OF SAID TOP SURFACELOCATED BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF OPENINGS BEING RELATIVELY SEVERABLE AT EACHEND THEREOF ALONG WEAKENED LINES OF PERFORATIONS OR THE LIKE FROM THEREMAINDER OF THE TOP SURFACE, SAID SEVERABLE PORTION BEING ATTACHED TO AVERTICAL PARTITION PORTION ALONG A SCORE LINE, WHICH PARTITION IS ALSOATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM WALL ALONG A SCORE LINE, WHEREBY UPON APPLYINGANGULARLY DOWNWARD PRESSURE AGAINST SAID SEVERABLE PORTION, SAME WILLBECOME SEVERED FROM THE TOP SURFACE AND, TOGETHER WITH ITS SAID VERTICALPARTITION, BECOME COLLAPSED TOWARD THE BOTTOM IN THE TRAY, WHEREBY SAIDPAIR OF OPENINGS WILL BECOME JOINED TO FORM A SINGLE LARGER OPENINGADAPTED TO RECEIVE A SANDWICH OR OTHER FOOD ITEMS, A VERTICAL PARTITIONMEANS BEING PROVIDED IN SAID FIRST-NAMED END OF THE TRAY AND CONNECTEDTO THE TOP SURFACE AND BOTTOM WALL ALONG SCORE LINES, AND MEANS HINGEDLYMOUNTED IN THE TRAY AND ADAPTED TO BE SWUNG INTO LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITHTHE PORTION OF THE LATTER PARTITION FOR HOLDING THE TRAY IN SET-UPPOSITION INDEPENDENTLY OF WHETHER SAID SEVERABLE PORTION HAS BEENDISPLACED.